The Texas Rangers

This one is easy. You will never forget where you were when Neftali Feliz struck out Alex Rodriguez to give the Rangers their first AL Pennant in team history. You will think about “the fan” who mocked Nelson Cruz and how he probably left the game in the seventh inning because his beloved Yankees were out-matched in their home park. I will remember refreshing Twitter every 30 seconds during the bankruptcy auction, and the joy I felt when I first learned that the Greenberg/Ryan group now owned the club. Josh Hamilton winnning the MVP. Feliz winning Rookie of the Year. The Claw and Antlers. Dallas fans, be thankful that the Rangers are in the running for Cliff Lee, and will make a serious run at Zack Greinke. The future is bright. The Ballpark is spectacular. The Texas Rangers are contenders.

The Dallas Mavericks

Maverick fans will always wonder what might have been. 2006 will forever haunt Dallas loyalists, many of whom continue to cry “foul” (though not nearly as often as Bennett Salvatore). First, Maverick fans, let me remind you that you are not alone. But if that does not ease your suffering, remember that in 1998, The Dallas Mavericks traded Robert “Tractor” Traylor to the Milwaukee Bucks for Pat Garrity. As if Garrity’s illustrious Mavericks career isn’t reason enough to be thankful, it is also worth noting that the Mavs acquired a young, raw Euro in the deal named Dirk Nowitzki. Simply put, it has been a pleasure to watch Dirk play for the past 12 years, and he shows no signs of slowing down. Remember when he took an elbow to the mouth and lost a tooth in a playoff game against San Antonio? Or when Carl Landry embedded parts of 3 teeth into Dirk’s elbow? Remember his drive to the bucket and 1 that forced overtime against the Spurs in game 7 of the 2006 Western Conference Finals? You should. Do not waste time picking his game apart and trying to find his flaws. He may be the greatest basketball player the Mavericks will ever have. Enjoy him.

The Dallas Cowboys

The Aughts have not been good to America’s Team. One playoff win. A disappointing home playoff loss to the Giants. Right now, the team that had dreams of playing for a championship in their own stadium sits at 3-8 and has lost virtually all hope of making the playoffs. Why be thankful? For starters, living in Dallas (or being born here) gives you privileged status as a legitimate Cowboy fan, as opposed to being one of the millions of “step-fans” who only like the Cowboys because it’s cool to like the Cowboys. Unless you live in Pittsburgh, you are a fan of the most successful franchise in the NFL (and you have the distinct advantage of not living in Pittsburgh). You never have to worry about TV black-outs or threats of relocation, and rarely are you subjected to the Fox “C Team” announcers. You have a legitimate quarterback, 2 budding superstars at wide receiver, a hall-of-fame caliber tight end, and a dominant pass rusher. But perhaps most importantly, a true Cowboy fan is never bored. The team is either a contender 0r in crisis, and that lack of middle ground means that there is no room for apathy.

The Dallas Stars

We are thankful for the Stars because they are the only other major Dallas sports franchise (with apologies to the Sidekicks) to hoist a championship trophy. When the franchise moved here from Minnesota, I knew very little about hockey. Thanks to the Stars, I now know that hockey is the second-best Canadian export ever (behind only their special brand of bacon. Sorry, Celine Dion). I love hockey fights, hockey sweaters, and I would argue that there is nothing more exciting in all of sports than overtime playoff hockey. I am thankful I learned that in 1999, a player was allowed to have his skate in the crease while controlling the puck. I am thankful Hull had control of the puck. I am thankful that the Stars are currently a young team with great talent and a bright future.

FC Dallas

Again, I won’t insult your intelligence and pretend to be an expert on MLS soccer. But I know the team is on the rise. I know that, like the Rangers, they played for their league championship and the league MVP was on their roster. (Feel free to use the comments section to further educate me on FC Dallas.)

Yes, the Aughts have been a tough time for Dallas sports fans. But in this season of giving thanks and counting blessings, remember that things could be much, much worse. Be grateful for your Rangers, Cowboys, Stars, Mavericks, and FC Dallas, franchises. Because you could live in Cleveland.

Josh’s story is well-known throughout the country. The first overall pick of by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in the 1999 Amateur Draft, Hamilton seemed destined for stardom. His course was run off-track early in his professional career, however, when drug and alcohol addiction nearly destroyed Hamilton’s life. He was suspended from baseball in 2004, and did not play again until 2007, when he was picked by the Chicago Cubs in the Rule 5 draft. Overcoming his addiction through faith in Jesus Christ is his main focus, and Josh is quick to pronounce his love of the Lord over his own personal accomplishments, as many saw in both the 2008 Home Run Derby and the 2010 ALCS.

In 2010, Josh Hamilton was selected to start in the All-Star Game, going in to the All-Star Break with a batting average of .346. He ended the season with the league-leading .359 average, which won Josh his first batting title. Despite missing 29 games due to the ribcage injury, he amassed 32 homeruns and over 100 RBI’s. His incredible year helped propel the Texas Rangers into and through the playoffs and into the World Series for the first time in franchise history.

Other awards for the 2010 season include the ALCS MVP and the AL Players’ Choice Outstanding Player.

Runners-up for the award were the Tigers’ Miguel Cabrera and the Yankees’ Robinson Cano, finishing second and third respectively in the balloting.

Congratulations to Josh Hamilton for this incredible achievement.

Corollary – When hearing the news of the AL MVP selection, Derek Jeter may or may not have been overheard saying, “What about me?” Allegedly.

#10 Oklahoma State (-24) @ Kansas – Kansas wasn’t bad in holding Nebraska to only 167 yards through the air, but that’s almost double their total yards for the game as their offense was shut down by the Blackshirts in losing 20-3. Oklahoma State is coming off a win over Texas in Austin and could be looking ahead to Bedlam against OU and a chance to clinch the Big XII South. Even in a worst case scenario Oklahoma State won’t lose. Oklahoma State 52 Kansas 20

Weber State @ Texas Tech (No line) – Texas Tech is coming off a horrendous game against OU where the offense could not get anything going and Landry Jones and the offense had their way all day. Weber State, meanwhile, is coming off a one point win over Northern Arizona. Tech should come out early and often against an inferior opponent. Texas Tech 48 Weber State 17

Florida Atlantic @ Texas (-21) – In their 11th game, Texas is still trying to hit their stride. They have yet to establish a running game and the golden arm of Garrett Gilbert hasn’t been much better. Luckily for them, Florida Atlantic has been even worse to far inferior competition. Despite having to play at home, Texas should win this one to keep their bowl hopes alive. Texas 34 Florida Atlantic 9

#15 Missouri (-11) @ Iowa State – Iowa State has one last chance to become bowl eligible for the second straight year, but have an uphill climb to defeat the 15th tanked Tigers, especially without starting quarterback Austin Arnaud. Coach Paul Rhodes will have his guys ready to play. Missouri, however, is just too good and will keep their faint Big XII North hopes alive. Missouri 27 Iowa State 17

#14 Oklahoma (-7.5) @ Baylor – Oklahoma is coming off a blowout win over Texas Tech, but have been a far different team away from home in 2010. Baylor is coming off a disappointing loss to Texas A&M in which they led 30-14 in the first half before losing 42-30. Baylor is a much improved team this year, but they can give up plenty of yards through the air, and I’m concerned that quarterback Robert Griffin III may not be 100% after taking hit after hit last week. Oklahoma 41 Baylor 23

Big XII Game of the Week:

#8 Nebraska (-2.5) @ #19 Texas A&M – Nebraska comes to Kyle Field, 7th in the nation running the ball at 282 yards a game behind quarterback Taylor Martinez’s 957 yards and Roy Helu Jr.’s 991 yards. Martinez is the key to the Nebraska offense because he can beat you with his legs and he has enough arm strength that he can burn you deep if you become too leery of the run. He is coming off an ankle injury that has slowed him in recent weeks. Texas A&M is one of the hottest teams in the nation coming off Ryan Tannehill taking over the reins of starting quarterback from preseason Big XII Offensive Player of the Year Jerrod Johnson. Tannehill has thrown for 1134 yards with 10 touchdowns and just 3 interceptions on the year. While the Aggies have one the top offenses in college football it has been the resurrected defense that has made the Aggies a top 20 team in the nation, allowing only 362.5 yards a game. This will be a game that will be dominated at the line of scrimmage. Nebraska gets most of their yards on the ground and A&M leads the Big XII in rush defense so who wins that battle should determine who wins the game. Texas A&M 28 Nebraska 24

“King” Felix Hernandez of the Seattle Mariners deservedly won the 2010 American League Cy Young Award. He was clearly the frontrunner, even though his main competition (C.C. Sabathia of the New York Yankees) had a better win record.

Hernandez’s sparking 2.27 ERA and 249 2/3 innings pitched made him tough to beat. Simply put, he dominated. When he came to town, I cringed at his ridiculous K inducing abilities. The King, however, had the severe misfortune of playing for the Seattle Mariners and posted a 13-12 record.

In the past few years, pitchers with poor run support, such as Tim Lincecum in the National League and Zach Greinke of the Kansas City Royals, have taken home the Cy Young. Tough losses, it seems, are more valuable than cheap wins.

What does this mean for the future of baseball? Is it good, bad, or indifferent?

I think it’s a step in the right direction. Pitching, like the great game in general, is dependent upon countless variables. A pitcher can have tons of quality starts; a bad bullpen can melt down and ruin this. The guy on the mound can do everything to control the game; sleepy bats then provide no run support.

Wins and losses never tell the full story.

Take, for instance, Colby Lewis.

The poor dude/future World Series knight in blue and red armor was booed off the diamond during an A’s game this past August. Even though the batters were clearly at fault, Colby-yashi still received the wrath of fans. Lewis was frustrated, in the very least, because his statistics were great even though he received a big, fat W for that ill-fated effort.

Are the voters changing? Will this sea change float to other awards in the near future? Only time will tell. In the meantime, be thankful that Derek Jeter was not eligible for the 2010 Cy Young Award.

Wednesday, the MLB announced its recipients of the Manager of the Year Awards. For those of you who aren’t “in-the-know” when it comes to after-the-season-is-over awards, the MoY goes like this: two writers from every franchised city send in their top 3 nominations for manager of the year. Pretty simple.

This year’s winners include the San Diego Padres’ Bud Black for the National League award, while the American League Manager of the Year was awarded to Ron Gardenhire. Gardenhire, who has been runner-up five times for this award, led his Minnesota Twins to the AL Central pennant with a 94-68 record but were booted from the ALDS in the first round from a sweep by the New York Yankees.  This was the Twins’ second year in a row to win the AL Central pennant. They’ve ended the season with a record over .500 every year since 2008.

Runner-up to Gardenhire in the voting was the Texas Rangers’ manager Ron Washington. My main question – why didn’t the right Ron win?

Gardenhire manages for a small-market club, who just opened the season in a new ballpark, who reached the playoffs a year prior and looked to continue the winning trend.  Washington, on the other hand, was in charge of a team known for slow starts under his leadership. (In 2008, “Wash” was nearly fired for the club’s April-May record.)  He was commissioned to lead a bankrupted team, attempting an ownership change, that couldn’t afford big-name free agents to round out their club.

At the beginning of the season, the starting catcher flamed out, developed the yips and never came back. The Rangers were forced to roll with Matt Treanor as its full-time backstop. Treanor had spent over a decade in the minors and seemed destined to be a career minor leaguer. Due to Texas’ catching situation, plus the fact the team could barely afford baseballs, Treanor was given the gig. Thank God that worked out.

Ron Washington’s top two pitchers, Rich Harden and Scott Feldman, didn’t produce this year. 40% of his rotation – gone. His closer, Frank Francisco, blew three saves in the first two weeks of the season. The club rolled out Neftali Feliz in the closer role, and prayed that the pressure wouldn’t crack the rookie. That’s right – in 2010, the Rangers rolled with a rookie closer.

Injuries to the heart of the batting lineup kept Josh Hamilton, Nelson Cruz and Ian Kinsler on the DL for much of the season. So much so, that David Murphy played in 150 games this year.

All these problems – the catchers, the pitchers, the injuries, and the closer – could be and would be enough to make any other club throw in the towels and say, “Next year.” Not the Rangers. No. The Rangers battled. They battled hard. They won it on walk-offs, in the 13^th inning, against the Red Sox. They scratched out ways to win. On Opening Day. Off Jarod Saltalamacchia’s last big-league hit in a Rangers uniform.

Wash showed faith in guys like Andres Blanco, who was thrown in as the every-day second baseman when Ian Kinsler went down with a groin strain in the rough middle part of the season. He didn’t give up on Vlad Guerrero when he was slumping.

A manager’s job isn’t necessarily to manage the game. It’s to manage the way it’s played, and who plays it. And that’s just what Ron Washington do(es) – he believes in his guys, he shows faith in them, and in return, they play hard for him. That relationship led to the Rangers winning the AL West. Then the American League. Though they were bounced from the World Series by the world champion Giants, this was the most successful year for the Rangers in franchise history .

So what kept Ron Washington from getting Manager of the Year? Was it the cocaine problem that came out in Spring Training? To me, that makes this season even more spectacular – the players rallied around their manager in a time of desolation, played hard for him and won a pennant. Isn’t that the kind of comeback story that Americans love?

Maybe Gardenhire did deserve to win this award. But, I can’t see how, with everything that Washington had to endure this season, and to see where it ended, Minnesota’s Ron deserved it more than Texas’ Ron.

“That just be the way baseball go sometime.”  True that, Wash. True that.

The first goal came 26 minutes into the match when Ferreira turned past two defensers on the outside of the box and half volleyed the ball into the corner of the net. This was all Dallas needed to build upon as Brek Shea then put a low ball across the goal for George John to pounce on shortly into the second half. Marvin Chavez finished up the scoring off an assist from Ferreira by slotting home past Galaxy keeper Donovan Ricketts. All in all, the entire team stepped up and put in a fantastic performance, one which they hope has finally started giving them the respect they feel they have deserved all season. This next Sunday, respect or none, they’ll have a chance at the trophy.

Re-built in a Day?

There was a lot to like about Garrett’s first week as head coach. The team practiced in pads. ESPN reported that Mike Jenkins had to take his notebook to defensive meetings for the first time all season. Marion Barber was denied his ceremonial “I’m still the starter” first carry of the game, because he did not adhere to Garrett’s new game day dress code. And of course, there was the game itself. The team played with passion, discipline, and attention to detail. Armed with an injured offensive line and a 38 year-old back-up quarterback, Garrett quickly reminded Cowboy fans why he was once considered an offensive prodigy. Perhaps most importantly, the team did not fold when faced with adversity. Garrett’s Cowboys stood toe to toe with a team many experts consider to be the best the NFC has to offer, and answered every challenge. Cornerbacks got injured. Buehler missed a field goal and (ugh) an extra point. Still, this team looked confident without looking arrogant, and in the end, they stood tall and secured their second win of the season. But what, if anything, does this game mean as far as Garrett’s future is concerned? Does one good game erase all of the concerns that were raised about Garrett during his tenure as offensive coordinator?

A Good Solider

Garrett takes a lot of heat for his play calling in this town, and when Jones finally decided to pull the trigger and fire Phillips, many thought that Garrett no longer deserved the interim position because of the way his offense struggled. While no one will argue the fact that a) Garrett controlled the offense under Phillips, and b) the offense has underperformed (even with a healthy Romo under center), it is a gross oversimplification to conclude that Garrett cannot be a good head coach in this league because of it. Remember that Garrett was an assistant coach under Phillips, and therefore had little say over the quality control standards set for the team as a whole. If Phillips says that the team will not practice in pads, Garrett cannot undermine him and make the offense suit up and hit. If Phillips alibis for his team, Garrett cannot undercut him and come down hard on his offensive players. Those fans who cite the lack of productivity from the offense as a reason to discount Jason Garrett need to consider the fact that, short of starting an insurrection, there was little Garrett could do to change the aura of non-accountability, lackadaisical practice, and general laissez-faire attitude of the coaching staff created by Phillips’ ill-founded trust in his players. The Giants game certainly seemed to show that the problems with this team have much more to do with preparation and execution than play calling, and, most damning of all, the lack of belief in the head coach.

Should Garrett stay?

I believe that Jason Garrett will be a successful head coach in this league, and would love for that to happen here in Dallas. Garrett is young enough to provide stability at the position for years to come, and he certainly knows the game. He commands the room, and the fact the team won on the road against a tough opponent gives credibility to his methods, both to fans and in the locker room. That said, in the end Garrett may prove to be a luxury that, because of Jerry Jones, the Cowboys simply cannot afford.

The one advantage to bringing in a big name coach in the off-season instead of retaining Garrett is the ability of that coach to have final say over his staff, and more importantly, over talent acquisition. If Garrett stays, Jones continues to run the draft. Garrett will not have the leverage after this season to demand more control, and even if he does, there is no way to know if he can succeed as a talent evaluator. The Cowboys need a new coach that can also serve as the de facto general manager (ala Parcells). Garrett’s best chance to succeed as a head coach is to find a place with a strong general manager and learn the art of talent evaluation under him (think Todd Haley working under Scott Pioli in Kansas City).

I believe Garrett would be the ideal candidate if this team had a legitimate general manager. But without a true GM in place, the Cowboys need a head coach who has a track record as an evaluator of talent, and has the skins on the wall to force Jones to listen when he tells him who to draft, who to hire as coordinators, who to sign in free agency, and who to cut from the roster. It is not an indictment of Garrett to say that he could not succeed here; it is simply a product of the broken power structure within the Cowboys organization that this team must have a coach who is also a proven talent evaluator. The closest Jones will ever come to hiring a general manager is bringing on a Super Bowl-credentialed coach, and this may prove to be one of those rare seasons that humbles him enough to do it. In an ideal world, Jones would hire a general manager and keep Garrett, allowing him to hire his own staff. In an ideal world, Jones would limit his influence to business ventures, marketing, and improving the NFL brand with his innovative ideas for the league. Dogs and cats would live in harmony. Bacon would grow on trees. Let us all dream of such a day.

Expect the New Orleans Hornets to look to even the score tonight when the Dallas Mavericks travel to their house for an encore of the Monday night matchup that saw the home team end New Orleans’ unblemished 8-0 record, when the Hornets couldn’t defend a 10-point lead with less than 8 minutes left.

The matchup tonight will be a definite test for the Mavericks as well. They have lost six straight meetings in New Orleans, dating back to the 2007-2008 season. For a team that has won all three of its road games this season, it will definitely be a streak they are looking to break. The main antagonist for Dallas during the six-game Hornets’ home win streak against the Mavericks has been Chris Paul, who averaged over 28 points per game in those six.

The Mavericks held Paul to only 2 points in the second half Monday night, however, proving that a zone defense against the Hornets made the biggest difference between that second-half and Paul’s first half, 20-point showing.

As far as offense is concerned, expect to see Jason Terry make a big splash. Since the 2007-2008 season, Terry has scored an average of 20.4 points in thirteen games. Also, Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Kidd both were integral in the second-half surge that led to the win Monday night – hopefully that play will continue tonight.

Caron Butler is expected to sit again tonight for a fourth-straight game. Dallas coach Rick Carlisle could go with the same three guard lineup of Kidd, Terry and J.J. Barea tonight that he had so much offensive success with two nights ago. However, it will be the defense that will need to step up if they are going to beat paul and Peja Stojakovic for a second straight game.

Will the Mavericks hand the Hornets their second loss this season as well as end their own New Orleans losing streak?  Find out tonight; you can watch the game on Fox Sports Southwest at 7pm.

Neftali Feliz, game-saving machine, has been named the 2010 American League Rookie of the Year. A Ranger hasn’t earned this award since Mike Hargrove in 1974.

It’s been quite a busy year for Feliz: he’s saved 40 games (thus set a Major League record), earned an All-Star nod, had just three blown saves, and was repeatedly called “Neftali Perez” by certain TBS broadcasters.

Not bad for a 22-year-old flame thrower.

This award is rare for relief pitchers. Only one other reliever in the American League- Gregg Olson of the Orioles in 1990- has won. Feliz’s closest competition was Detroit Tigers’ center fielder Austin Jackson.

Feliz was acquired by the Rangers in 2007, as part of the Five Year Plan. After a season of exciting results, it’s good to see the Plan still kicking into gear. The Rangers proved that they are true contenders on the playoff stage. Feliz winning this award only validates this once-crazy theory.

Believe it.

For the National League, San Francisco Giants catcher/wonderboy Buster Posey won the honor. Posey’s closest vote-getter was Jason Heyward of the Atlanta Braves.

This morning, the Pittsburgh Pirates announced the hiring of Clint Hurdle to their vacated managerial position. Hurdle, who spent the 2010 season as the batting coach for the American League Champion Texas Rangers, was the Colorado Rockies’ manager from 2002 to 2009. In 2007, Hurdle led the Rockies — a team in relative obscurity — to the National League Championship, and World Series. Thus, this will not be new territory for Hurdle.

Replacing long-time and assumed tenured batting coach Rudy Jaramillo in the Rangers’ dugout in 2010 season, Hurdle’s influence was undeniable. His main tenants on batting philosophy were more guided to manufacturing runs through high on-base percentages instead of the classic Texas way of hammering in runs by sheer force.

In 2010, the Rangers compiled a collective .274 ERA, the best in the majors. Though their homerun total (224 in 2009) fell dramatically in 2010, the overall run production came up, and the team ended the year 4th in the American League in total runs with with 787.

Rangers’ manager Ron Washington has always preached a run-manufacturing, “small-ball” philosophy, but Hurdle’s influence on the team and their batting strategy led to more runs, higher team ERA and more hits — in fact, the Rangers were not only first in team ERA, but also first in total hits in 2010 as well.

Needless to say, the Rangers will need to fill the void left by Hurdle, and it would be safe to assume the front office would like to acquire a hitting coach who held the same hitting philosophies as the departed Hurdle. At the time of this writing, no names have been announced by the Rangers as to who will take Hurdle’s vacated position. With the Winter Meetings less than a month away, expect the position to be filled within weeks.